The present invention relates generally to a windshield wiper device comprising a windshield wiper blade moveably attached to a windshield wiper arm through an arm-blade connector, and more specifically, a windshield wiper device comprising a device for projecting washer fluid on the windshield wiper blade. The present invention is applied specifically in the automotive field.
The windshield of a vehicle is commonly wiped by arms equipped with blades that sweep over the glass surface of the windshield. FIG. 1 shows a windshield wiper arm 1 disconnected from its windshield wiper blade 2. To ensure the connection between the arm and the blade, an arm-blade connector includes a first part 3 integral with the arm, and a second part 4 integral with the blade. One of the parts of the arm-blade connector is a female element while the other part of the connector is a male element, so that the assembly of these two parts forms the windshield wiper blade arm. The first female part 3 is hollow and defines an opening 5 on one of its faces. The second male part 4 comprises a fixed part 6 integral with the blade 2, and a mobile part 7 which fits inside the female part and is provided with a latch 8 intended to cooperate with the opening 5 to lock the two male and female parts together ensuring the arm-blade connection. FIG. 1b only shows the arm-blade connector after connecting together the two parts, male 4 and female 3. The latch 8 of the male part is then positioned in the opening 5 of the female part.
The windshield is normally washed by separate nozzles. However, some recent systems offer a wash directly integrated in the wiper blade. This type of washing reduces the consumption of washer fluid and is more effective in washing. One such example is known from document EP 0 810 133 which discloses a windshield wiper device. FIG. 2 shows a windshield wiper blade 16 moveably attached about a transverse axis of rotation A1 at the free end of a windshield wiper arm. The blade 16 includes a device 20 for projecting washer fluid which is linked through a channel 26 by a washer fluid supply device, whereby channel 26 extends along the windshield wiper arm 12. The arm and the blade are moveable with respect to each other about the transverse axis A1 by a connection device, which is not shown. The channel 26 and projection device 20 are connected by a coupler 28 which comprises a part integral with arm 12 and a part integral with the blade 16, whereby the two parts of the coupler 28 are connected automatically by the pivoting blade 16 around its axis of rotation A1 relative to the arm 12. The objective of the coupler 28 is to guarantee the supply of the washer fluid to the projection device as long as at least a portion of the end piece of the coupler is housed inside the cavity 36. It is therefore necessary to provide an end piece of large enough dimensions with respect to the variations of the relative inclination between blade 16 and the arm 12 when the windshield wiper goes through its glass wiping movements. However, in order to limit the length of the end piece, it is important to arrange the coupler 28 as close as possible to the free end 14 of arm 12.
Nevertheless, a windshield wiper device with integrated projection device such as defined in document EP 0 810 133 has a certain number of disadvantages. Indeed, since the arm and the blade are considered two distinct parts, it is generally expected that the arm will remain on the vehicle throughout the vehicle's life while the windshield wiper blade is a wear component requiring regular replacement. When changing a worn wiper blade, the user must initially mount the blade on the arm about the axis of rotation through the connection mechanism provided for this purpose at the end of the free extremity 14 of the arm. At the same time, the user must ensure the exact orientation of the connecting part, which is secured to the arm, in order to accomplish the connection by rotating the blade around its axis. Any gap between the end piece 34 and the cavity can cause assembly difficulties when making the connection. Furthermore, the coupler is either at a distance from the axis of rotation and in this case the end piece 34 must be relatively long, making its orientation less precise and therefore its insertion in cavity 36 more difficult, or the coupler is arranged in the proximity of the axis of rotation and in this case the end piece 34 can be shorter but consequently will be more rigid requiring very precise orientation to ensure easy insertion in cavity 36. Finally, the principle of a mobile connection in the context of its utilization, by pivoting the end piece in the cavity, results in accelerated mechanical wear of the parts involved, including on the side of the arm, and risk of detachment or fluid leaks between the two parts.